Although Destination X season 1, when it came to actually living within the competition, things weren't easy. Josh's experiences on Big Brother and The Challenge helped to prepare him in various ways, especially in building connections, but the new reality TV concept was tough in practice.
Josh's reality TV persona has come a long way since viewers first met him on Big Brother 18. After winning the competition against newly announced House Of Villains season 3 cast member Paul Abrahamian, Josh went on to continue creating reality TV connections. Moving onto The Challenge, Josh has competed for years with different casts of the long-running show and made it clear that he knows how to make it to the end of the game. Though he's never won The Challenge, Josh has come close year after year, and that drive has led him down different reality TV avenues.
While Josh may not have been able to secure a win on Destination X, he gained a plethora of new experiences that will help him in his next reality TV endeavors. Throughout the first episode of the series, Josh showed off his reality TV prowess, but by the end of the first leg of the game, it was clear the environment had taken a toll on him. Josh's ability to move through the game was clouded by the rest of the cast. Sharing more about his experience, Josh spoke to Screen Rant about his tough elimination.
Screen Rant: Josh, I did not think I would be talking to you this soon. You told me you knew Europe!
Josh Martinez: I know!
Screen Rant: What happened?
Josh: Honestly, even re-watching that and reliving it last night, it sucks. I tried my best, but honestly, I didn't trust my gut. I didn't trust myself. I didn't listen to my team, and last minute, I kind of just panicked, you know, and that's just what sucks.
When it all comes down to it, I really didn't trust my gut. I went to bed that night, the night before, locked in saying that I was in Rome. Like, I was like, I'm sure I'm in Rome. I'm pretty sure I told Ally that. I was like, we're in Rome. I'm in Rome. We're in Rome, and, you know, the next day, literally an hour before, a few just literally seconds before, I flipped, and I just started going stir crazy. I think, honestly, just the game got the best of me. I didn't really catch a breather [after my last reality TV appearances], so I was just going game to game. I think it was so fast-paced that it just got the best of me.
Screen Rant: I want to rewind a little bit. Why do you think you were sent to the Map Room? Was it threat level? Was it just not making the right connections?
Josh: I think at that point, I really didn't have a strong connection with Mack or Rick or like that side. I felt very connected to my team. I think that we ended up as a team, but I think I generally gravitated towards Biggy and Shane and Tay and Ali, so I had a stronger connection with the people on my team. I wasn't expecting to be saved by any of them, and I knew that Mac kind of was in depth with Ally [after she] brought her on in the first clue, so I knew she was going to look out for her, and then that's what I was expecting.
Screen Rant: As you got up to leave the bus, Rick told you that he was pretty sure it was Milan. Obviously, it was not Milan, and you said you didn't trust your gut. Why did you trust Rick?
Josh: I don't know why in that instant, I can't go back. I don't know why in that moment, it was so crazy because I was so locked in on Rome, and I was set on it, and so was my team. I don't know why in that second, I second-guessed myself, and I think, listen, it's a hard loss. It's a hard hit. I obviously wanted the full experience.
Even if I didn't win the show, I wanted the full experience, I wanted to get to the end, so to go out the way that I did, to just not trust myself, that was the hardest pill to swallow. Not to trust my gut feeling, which is what it was telling me, but I think that's the biggest lesson, so like any other projects I do, I just know to trust myself more, but yeah, Rick got me. Rick bamboozled me, and that's why I kind of called him out on my way out because I know a gamer when I see one, and Rick is definitely playing dirty.
Screen Rant: We'll get back to Rick in a minute, but first - walk me through the map room. It's a really intense two minutes. What do you about that map room moment?
Josh: Oh, it was so intense. It felt like somebody had died in that room, like just the energy in there is terrifying, but it's like two minutes, and you're just looking at the clock the whole time. We obviously all knew we were in Italy, but I also had to go based off of clues that people were telling me because I didn't win any power, so I had to do what I was being told. We had one clue. We didn't know much, but Biggy was so set on that we were in Rome, so I kind of was just going what he was telling me, but in that moment, I've only known the guy for three days, so I really didn't know what to believe or who to trust, and you know what?
I kind of played myself because I think in all reality, they were looking out for me, but the pressure, I mean, those two minutes felt like life or death, like it literally felt, that's what it was. It was like either you're staying or you're going, so the pressure was definitely on, but I think, you know, if they would pinpoint it to like, all right, these are your top, I mean, that would be too easy, but it's just a huge map. It's a huge map, a huge world map, and it's not even only Europe. It's everywhere, so it's like, you got to really get as close as you can to that location, and I really messed up, man.
I really messed up. I as soon as I clicked Milan, instantly, instantly, like I was like, as soon as I did it and I timed out, I said, I'm going home. I knew it. I was like, oh, I'm going home because I knew it was wrong. I just don't know. It's like something came over me. I don't even know how to explain it. I don't even know what happened to me in that instant. It was so crazy, so, so crazy.
Screen Rant: Now, I want to go back to Rick. You did call him out on the way out. Obviously, you wanted to stir up a little bit of drama before you left. You were so calm in doing that. I was shocked, honestly. How did you maintain your composure in that moment?
Josh: I think, I mean, at the end of the day, it was my doing. He didn't vote me off. If he would have voted me off, oh, it would have been a problem, but it was my doing. It was my own bidding. I was the one that messed up and essentially picked Milan. I fell for it. And at the end of the day, it was good gameplay. So, while I kind of wanted to give him his props too, I also wanted to [say something]. I was watching the way that Rick was moving in the game and I kind of kept my lip, beause I was like, you know what? It's too early. It's too early, Josh. Don't start like that [laughs] because I can come in and, you know, start calling people out, but I was like, you know what? Just...noted, and when the right time presents itself, I'm going to call them out. I didn't think I was going to be the first one gone, so I thought I was going to have time to do it. But I already saw how Rick was moving. He was kind of just playing every single angle and like his conversation wasn't genuine. It just didn't come off genuine. I think he was just in game mode the whole time.
And that happens. I think he's a great guy, but I can read through people in these scenarios. And it just felt like very like, oh game. He just wants to get information. He just wants to, you know, like get in with everybody and be safe and feel good with everybody. So I didn't trust it.
My purpose in blowing up Rick's game going out was I wanted to give the best chance to like Biggy and Shane and Ally and Tay and like the people that I was, that I felt like I was getting close with to advance and to kind of just like put a target on him and like moving forward, everybody didn't trust them. So like when you have somebody that you can target in these games, it's good because you have a public enemy. So that was my agenda there, and we'll see how that goes. We'll see how that goes. Rick is not to be trusted, that's for sure.
Screen Rant: How does Destination X compare to your other reality TV experiences?
Josh: It was one of the hardest. It was one of the coolest. It's just one of a kind. I mean, there's nothing like it out there. It's nothing like I've ever done in my life, but it was one of the hardest experiences. I think for me the confinement on the bus and just, you know, I've played Big Brother where it's a very fast paced game and it's very game, game, game, game, game, but you're able to like run to the yard and escape from people or like take a breather and go sit by yourself in a corner. Here there was no escape. And it was like even more than what you guys saw in the episode. Like it was 24-7 game, which I love that, but it was a tough game.
Screen Rant: It seems very intense.
Josh: It was very intense, more than what it seems like on the show was way more intense. Obviously that could only translate so much unless you're in there in that experience, but it was one of the coolest experiences. I think that's what stings a little. It's that I really wanted to just play the game and I really didn't get a chance to.
Screen Rant: Very hopeful that you'll eventually be able to run it back!
Josh: It'd be my redemption.
Screen Rant: If you could push anyone from your reality TV past into Destination X into playing, even if it was alongside you, who would it be? Who do you think would be the most likely to do well?
Josh: There's so many people that I would think of. Right off the bat, the names that are jumping to me are, there's like four from The Challenge. I would say Michelle Fitzgerald from Survivor. Michelle's somebody that I call when I'm traveling and I'm like, Hey, Meech, where should I go to eat? Where should I do this? And she sends me like a list of places to stay, places to go. She is truly so well versed in travel and she just like, she's great. I think she would dominate and socially she's just lovable. Aneesa [Ferreira], I think she's great. She's been traveling since early ages on The Real World and she's been doing it for so long. I think Aneesa would be great for this show. Johnny Bananas would be an absolute nut on the bus.
Screen Rant: That bus would explode.
Josh: [laughs] Yeah, it would absolutely explode. And I think another person that I would love to see, and now like jumping over to Big Brother, I would love to see Kaycee [Clark]. I would love to see Tyler Crispin. I think a lot of my good friends would absolutely dominate this show. And I mean, I'll give them little pointers. So definitely, I would love, if there is a season 2, I would love to see some familiar faces.
Screen Rant: I know you're a very online reality TV fan like myself, so I'm sure you've heard about the Survivor 50 cast announcement this week. So many people that didn't make it onto that cast, people are now hoping to see some of those who didn't make it on The Traitors. Do you think you could see yourself doing The Traitors?
Josh: I hope. I think, listen, I've been doing this for 8 years now and I truly love what I do. I love filming. I love competing. I love the adventure. Even though I didn't get the turnout that I wanted on Destination X, the short time that I was there, I loved every single second, worked with the best production team. And a lot of the producers that worked on Destination X worked on The Traitors. So on my way out, I was like, put in a word for me. But I think that's something that if it's not now, if it's not in these next few seasons, I could see it happening for me. It's something that I'm manifesting and it's something that I definitely would love to do Traitors.
Screen Rant: I think you would do great on Traitors, so I hope to see you there someday.
Josh: I think I would be a menace at the round table. I think that's what everybody's been waiting for, my meltdowns at the round table.
Destination X airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.
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